Trump White House Keeps Solar Panels Installed by Obama

The Trump administration has maintained the solar panels on the White House roof that were installed during the Obama presidency.

Mar. 11, 2026 at 9:48pm

In a surprising move, the Trump White House has kept the solar panels on the roof that were installed during the Obama administration in 2013. This marks a departure from the Reagan administration's decision to remove the solar panels that were originally put up by President Jimmy Carter in 1979.

Why it matters

The continued use of solar panels on the White House is seen as an unexpected move by the Trump administration, which has generally been skeptical of renewable energy policies. This decision signals a potential shift in the administration's stance on clean energy and could have broader implications for federal support of solar power initiatives.

The details

The solar panels were first installed on the White House roof in 1979 during the Carter administration, but were later removed by the Reagan administration a few years later. In 2013, President Obama had new solar panels added to help power the first family's living quarters. Despite the Trump administration's general opposition to renewable energy policies, they have kept these solar panels in place on the White House.

  • The solar panels were first installed on the White House roof in 1979 during the Carter administration.
  • The Reagan administration removed the solar panels a few years later.
  • In 2013, President Obama had new solar panels added to the White House.

The players

Jimmy Carter

The 39th President of the United States who originally had solar panels installed on the White House in 1979.

Ronald Reagan

The 40th President of the United States who had the solar panels removed from the White House a few years after Carter installed them.

Barack Obama

The 44th President of the United States who had new solar panels installed on the White House in 2013.

Donald Trump

The 45th President of the United States who has kept the solar panels installed by the Obama administration in place on the White House.

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The takeaway

The Trump administration's decision to maintain the solar panels installed by the Obama White House signals a potential shift in the administration's stance on clean energy and could have broader implications for federal support of solar power initiatives in the future.